The invention relates to an apparatus and method for exercising or testing the muscles and nerves within the cervical area of the body.
Muscle exercising and testing apparatus have been designed for testing various muscles and muscle groups. They enable a physician or physical therapist to determine which, if any, muscle or nerve groups are not functioning correctly, and provide quantitative indications of whether a patient is responding to therapy. Such apparatus may also be used in conjunction with an exercise program to allow an athlete to determine his progress in increasing the strength of specific muscle groups.
Regardless of the part of the body which is tested, it has long been recognized that the tested muscle or muscle group should be isolated to the greatest possible degree. In other words, the parts of the body not being tested should be maintained in a stable position so that they do not influence the test results.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,702,108, 4,732,038 and 4,732,381 disclose equipment for testing and/or exercising various muscle groups. The first-mentioned patent concerns a chair apparatus including stabilization means for immobilizing various parts of the body including the pelvis, thorax, thighs, and legs. Transducers are mounted to six different track systems and adjustably positioned with respect thereto to allow the selected muscle groups to be tested. A transducer mounted to an anterior track is provided for measuring neck flexion while a second transducer mounted to a posterior track measures neck extension.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,038 discloses a muscle testing method wherein a sensing means in the form of a pressure pad is supported by a rigid support plate. A selected muscle or muscle group is flexed to apply force against the sensing means. The sternocleidomastoid muscles, which are used for either rotating the head or bending the head forward, are tested by locating the pressure pad to one side of the subject's head with the support plate at a 25.degree.-30.degree. angle with the vertical to test rotation. The pressure pad faces the subject when testing the ability of this muscle to pivot the head forward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,381 is directed to an exercise machine for exercising the lower back muscles. The machine includes a curved chest pad and a scapula pad. The user exerts a rotational force against these pads while in the seated position.
Isometric therapy has been gaining increasing acceptance among physical therapists. Such therapy involves measuring the peak strength or force capable of being exerted by a muscle or muscle group, and then exerting a force for selected periods of time which is less than the measured peak force. It is accordingly necessary to provide an apparatus capable of providing a quantitative indication of the force being exerted by a muscle both during the testing and exercising procedures.
One area of the body which is often subject to injury, strain or other problems is the neck. Muscles associated with neck movement include the sternocleidomastoid, splenius capitis, levator scapulae, and trapezius. Acting individually, the sternocleidomastoid muscles rotate the head. They are also capable of raising the head against a resistive force, such as when one raises his head from a prone position. The splenius capitis muscles are used to pull the head back when acting in unison. Used individually, the head may be rotated or inclined.
Apparatus for testing various neck muscles have included a pressure transducer mounted to an arm. A person applies force to the transducer by pressing the head against the transducer. The force is measured and displayed to the person or therapist. Conventional testing equipment has not, however, provided adequate isolation of the neck muscles being tested. Other muscles are too easily recruited, thereby causing inaccurate results.
The positioning of the pressure transducer with respect to the head is also important. In order to accurately determine whether progress is being made during physical therapy, the transducer should be in the same locations each time a person is tested. Conventional cervical muscle exercise and testing equipment have not included transducer positioning means which allow the user to precisely position the transducer each time the equipment is used.